Tom Clancy's upcoming first-person tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, has had its original release date, October 13, postponed to December 1. This decision was more than likely influenced by the apparent success of the game's closed beta, which was scheduled to conclude this passed Monday. However, as compensation for the game's delay, and in an effort to collect even more data for the final revisions of the game, the beta has been extended an additional week.
For those of you not familiar with the term "beta" used previously (and have yet to search the term on an online encyclopedia), it is, in this context, associated with a specific phase of game development. This phase involves the release of a limited portion of the game's infrastructure to a select group of individuals who meet a specific criteria for participation, which typically involves pre-ordering the game among other alternatives. Also referred to as beta testing, it is one of the final stages of the development process, typically directly leading to the final revisions and enhancements just prior to launch. When this is not possible the game's official release may be delayed, as demonstrated, or immediately followed by the release of a resolution to any discovered technical difficulties, or bugs, in the form of a software update.
The original purpose of the presence of a beta, which is not always guaranteed, is indeed that of technical diagnostics on behalf of the developers. The beta itself, however, is in fact capable of providing further benefit. It can potentially serve as a means of collaborative participation between fellow supporters of a specific community. Within this community, they all share in a common interest, or perhaps, a common passion.
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